Cape Rock brands new Dutch sports channel Ziggo Sport

Ziggo Sport is a new sports TV service in the Netherlands. It launched on November 12 for subscribers of leading cable operator Ziggo, replacing an existing sports channel called Sport1. The channel identity and branding for the new channel was developed by Cape Rock.

The new Ziggo Sport is a "free" channel offering live sporting events as well as talk shows and other sports programming. The channel ident features 3D representations of different sports arenas with sports imagery superimposed on the Ziggo symbol. The graphics should convey a "masculine, combative and premium feel".

New brands for Canadian preschooler channels

In Canada, the rights to Disney-branded TV programming were held by the local Family Channel until this year, when the rights switched. Family Channel had also operated local versions of Disney Channel spin-offs Disney XD and Disney Junior. As a result of loosing their Disney programming, the channels were rebranded in September, with the English and French versions of Disney Junior rebranded as Family Jr. and Télémagino, respectively. The visual identities and graphics for the two preschooler channels were developed by LA-based creative studio Roger.

The graphics package uses paper-textured animation throughout, giving it a playful and tactile feel. This is reinforced through the use of custom handmade typeface. It also features a cast of whimsical paper characters, created through a combination of stop-motion and computer animation. They are used to tell small stories in the idents.

Channel 4 pushes boundaries with new identity

Channel 4 is the fourth major TV channel in the United Kingdom and has a remit and international reputation for creating challenging and innovative programming. This spirit runs through everything it does, including the presentation between the programmes. Yesterday, it launched a completely new identity that included everything from idents to news.

This is huge project involving several agencies and creatives. The lead was taken by Channel 4's in-house agency 4Creative and creative agency DBLG. Channel idents were produced with Academy Films and directed by Jonathan Glazer. Two custom typeface families were commissioned from none other than Neville Brody. Full credits are reproduced at the bottom of this article.

Channel 4 has always sought to bring innovation in their presentation and push the boundaries. The previous set of idents, introduced in 2004, consisted of short films were the logo was only flashed for less than a second. In the new idents, the full logo isn't included at all. Instead, pieces of the logo appear as crystals in various scenes. Other on-screen graphics also see the logo broken up into blocks that are free to flow around. Brody's typeface comes in eight weights and two variations, Horseferry for display and Chadwick for text.

Randomised look for ITV2

ITV2 is the second channel from Britain's leading commercial broadcaster ITV and firmly established in the top ten of the nation's most watched television channels. In recent years it has repositioned itself slightly as "the naughty sibling in the ITV family" with a mix of broad youthful entertainment programming (and the future home of Family Guy). Yesterday, it launched a new look to fit that remit, summed up in the slogan "TV. And then some".

The channel last changed its look in January 2013 along with the other ITV channels. The logo introduced then has been retained, but has changed colour. The new look was created by ManvsMachine together with in-house agency ITV Creative.

The idents feature a set of different shots with objects that are supposed to communicate ITV2's brand attributes. Rather than playing out the full scenes, the team has created an algorithm that shows snippets from different scenes at random. According to ManvsMachine, the system can produce 300,000 different iterations, which means it would take 36 years for every possible combination to be played out.

Sweden's TV12 gets playful

TV12 is a Swedish television channel with a mix of sports, lifestyle and entertainment programming. It launched in March 2014 and little more than a year later it decided to relaunch itself yet again with more focus of sports, comedy and films. This included a new logo and graphics package, developed by Stockholm-based Chimney.

The previous graphics package (covered here at the time) which positioned TV12 as lifestyle channel has been replaced by a decidedly broader look dominated by orange and circles. The graphics are intended to be playful and idents feature "unexpected" juxtapositions.

Cool news from Norway's NRK

Last month, the main news from Norwegian public service broadcaster NRK launched a new look, including new graphics, titles, studios and music. The first overhauled edition of the flagship programme Dagsrevyen could be seen on Norwegian television screens on June 17.

This is the first major visual update for NRK's news programmes since 2007, when they were overhauled with help from London-based branding agency Kemistry. They were brought back this time to advice NRK's in-house team on strategic design. The unconventional title music was composed by Norwegian electronic music duo Røyksopp and aids in giving NRK's news a distinguished identity.

In a report on its new look, NRK's design team says they sought rejuvenation to lure a younger audience and to keep a consistent and clear look across platforms.

New identity for Alibi

Launched in 2008, Alibi is a British television channel dedicated to crime and procedural series. Yesterday, it launched a new graphics package and refreshed visual identity, designed by London-based motion design studio Art&Graft.

The studio took an evolutionary approach to give the channel a premium feel. Their solution features red strings that symbolises crime narratives, with a detective's pinboard used to convey information to the viewer. In the channel idents, the string runs through different environments, presenting evidence within a scene. The logo was given a subtle typographical update.

Distinct and dynamic looks for Slovakia's public TV channels

Slovak public broadcaster RTVS has two TV channels and they were recently both given new looks. Several studios were approached, but the assignment was given to Czech motion studio Oficina. Their task was give the channels distinct identities and to bring in dynamism and modernity to shift perceptions of the channels.

The previous graphics packages were introduced back in 2012, along with the current logos (as described here). The new looks convey the different profiles of the channels, with an inclusive feeling for the generalist channel Jednotka (Channel 1) and a more abstract look for the specialist channel Dvojka (Channel 2).

A recurring theme in both packages is the use of two dots that form the colon that is part of the channel logos. The channel idents for Jednotka start with everyday situations. The colons then 'open up' a window where the scene has progressed in time and space. In Dvojka's idents, the dots move through abstract shapes before forming the channel logo. The idents will change throughout the day to reflect Dvojka's varied programming which includes both the arts, current affairs, sports and children's programming.

Destination America gets louder and prouder

Three years ago, Discovery Networks closed down its eco-living TV network Planet Green and replaced it with Destination America, a network that celebrates "the people, places, and stories of the United States", which turned out to be a lot of wrestling, BBQ and ghost hunters. After a period of rapid growth, the network was refreshed last month with a new graphics package and retooled logo, everything done by LA-based Ferroconcrete.

The old package was seen as limiting and was replaced by more proudly red-white-and-blue one. It features an extensive set of icons to symbolise the channel's varied programming.

Showcase gets beyond ordinary with new logo

Showcase is a Canadian TV channel specialised in premium drama, both original and imported. It was launched twenty years ago, and last week it introduced a new look to celebrate that anniversary. Like all TV branding in Canada, everything was developed in-house by Shaw Media's Creative Agency.

The channel prides itself on innovative programming, which is summed up by the slogan "Beyond Ordinary". The new logo has some similarities with the one used when the channel launched and will together with the new graphics package "reflect the channel's big and dramatic sensibility". The logo is also shaped like a TV screen and some visually interesting dynamics are created by blowing it up to cover the entire screen.

Fun and surprising branding for VTMKzoom

VTMKzoom is a Belgian children's channel, owned by Flemish media group Medialaan which also owns the region's leading commercial TV channel VTM. Last month, VTMKzoom launched a new graphics package with a new logo, all designed by French broadcast design agency Gédéon with audio by La Plage Records.

The package uses fast and bright graphics to create a fun and engaging brand environment.

Flat and fun graphics for RTL II

RTL II is one Germany's more popular television channels, targeting a younger audience with a mix of reality and American drama series. This week it launched a new graphics package, designed by Munich-based motion agency Mehappy.

The new package marks a break with the previous graphics, introduced in 2011 and covered here, which gave the RTL II logo and everything around it a 3D treatment based on bright lights. Now, everything is two-dimensional and flat. Mehappy says the package revolves around the number two, after the name of the channel and the two stripes in its logo. The graphics use two colours and are shown with a vertical axis in the middle where they are partially "reflected" on either side. The channel's slogan, "It's fun", was introduced in 2009 and remain unchanged.

New graphics for Danish youth channel DR3

DR3 is a television channel from Denmark's public service broadcaster DR, which targets a younger audience with provocative programming. This January, it launched a new on-air graphics package, developed in-house by DR Design.

The graphics in the new look are almost completely based on the signature limegreen colour and one typeface (Gotham XNarrow Ultra Italic), with only minor deviations for thematic promotions. All graphics move in three steps (e. g. a trailer will first show the show name, then add the weekday and finally the the time). This includes the channel idents that are made up of three related scenes. The idents that can be sexually suggestive or somewhat gross, while still saying something important, which reflects DR3's ethos.

Loyalkaspar raises flag for Pop

Back in September, we learned that US cable channel TVGN was about to change its name to Pop. The network was renamed this month and launched its new logo along with a graphics package, which loyalkaspar created in collaboration with the Pop team.

Loyalkaspar worked with TVGN/Pop over six months to create a cross-platform brand that "celebrates the fun of being a fan". The logo is designed to be "modern, friendly and instantly iconic" and the entire system was built around it. Flexible and bright on-screen graphics were designed to reinforce an "emotional yet conversational spirit" between Pop and its viewers. The rectangle in the main logo can be changed into various 'flags' that are used as presentation devices.

Fresh new look for W Network

W Network is Canada's leading television network dedicated to programming for women. This month it has introduced a new graphics package, created by Los Angeles-based Troika.

Using a concept dubbed "Reveal", the new graphics make use of negative space in a clean white and orange environment. New IDs were filmed in Toronto and feature talent from W Network programmes as well as the network's logo, which is unchanged.

Relaxed and human branding for Discovery Home & Health

Discovery Home & Health is a Latin American lifestyle TV channel. Owned by Discovery Communications, it mostly targets women with programmes about health, decorating and cooking. Earlier this year, it launched a new graphics package, created by Argentinian agency Lumbre.

The brief was to give the channel a look that was both accessible and aspirational. This was achieved by using bright colours, textures and patterns to frame photos and humorous video elements.

Eyeball breathes real life into Oxygen

Back in July, we learned that US women's channel Oxygen was about to introduce a new logo. It launched a month ago along with a new graphics package. Both were designed by New York design agency Eyeball in collaboration with Oxygen.

Oxygen targets a somewhat younger multicultural female audience with programming featuring authentic characters. The idea behind the rebrand was to communicate this authenticity, which is summed up in the tagline "very real". Eyeball created an entire brand identity system which included on-air graphics and print and digital applications.

The underscore from the logo serves as a recurring graphic element used with a bright colour palette and straight-forward typography. All graphics are two-dimensional and dynamically animated to set a conversational tone.

Way more fun with truTV

TruTV is an American cable TV channnel, originally known as Court TV and dedicated to court proceedings. Over time, the channel has switched over to a format based on reality shows. Back in July, the channel revealed a slightly altered logo when it announced that it was about to tweak its format by introducing new programmes. The logo, and the new programmes, launched last month, on October 27. The visual identity was developed by New York-based brand design agency Loyalkaspar.

Unlike other reality programming, which is conflict-driven, "the new truTV" is "devoted to fun". This was summed up in the new slogan, "Way more fun". In the slightly altered logo, the word TV has been elevated because "TV is an amazing place to be". More importantly, the 'TV' part can also be removed to instead include different icons in imaginative ways.

Antena 3 and Neox launch simple graphics

Antena 3 is one of Spain's two leading commercial television channels. Last Monday, the channel unveiled a new graphics package which it says signifies "innovativeness, closeness and quality". The new graphics are simple and flat with a straightforward use of typography and animation.

Antena 3's sister channel Neox was given a new look at the same time. The old youth-themed graphics package from 2011 was replaced by one that appears to target a broader demographic. It features a black and yellow colour scheme and makes use of the geometric nature of the Neox logo for its animations.

Gold pulls out new identity

Gold is one of the most watched pay TV channels in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1992 and initially dedicated to archive BBC programmes it has shifted over the years to a schedule largely made up of comedies and sitcoms. Today, the channel is launching a new look, created by London-based DixonBaxi who worked with Gold over six months on everything from brand positioning to visual identity.

The new brand positioning was expressed as "Where Funny Takes You", and the new identity is built to convey "how funny makes you feel". The new logo is a "pulley" that folds out and is designed to act as an incentive to participation, you should want to tug at it. A similar effect is used for different words that appear in "statement bumpers".

Idents feature various jolly and optimistic shots of situations and objects, enhanced by thematic music. Everything is using a bright and happy colour palette, designed to reflect the brighter side of life.